76: Ada's POV

I awoke in a bed that wasn’t my own, in a room I didn’t recognize. My body was in absolute bliss— feeling like it had been perfectly used. The room around me was dark. There was a black comforter and a black silk sheet set on the bed I was in, and as I looked up at the four-poster bed, I caught sight of the black canopy draped over the posts.

I tossed my legs over the edge of the bed, parting the canopy as I stood. My back popped as I stretched my naked body and padded toward a door that appeared to lead to a bathroom. All of the furniture in the room was black, the walls were black, and the floors were black. On the wall were various pieces of artwork, all old paintings of ancient battles.

The bathroom was simple. No muss, no fuss. Dark, muted, understated. A simple shower, a sink, and a toilet. I splashed some cool water on my face and took a deep breath. Lavender and smoked bourbon filled my nostrils. *Nik.* My toes practically curled as my mind replayed images of the night before. He’d lost control, and after so many calculated days with him lately, it was exactly the release I’d needed.

All of them had been wonderful. I caught sight of my smirk in the mirror as I left the bathroom. My stomach growled as I made my way to one of the dressers. I pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt, putting them on quickly. Nik’s bedroom was exactly what I’d imagined it would be. I ran my hand over every surface I passed by: the front of the dresser drawers, the end table, the leather couches, the mantle above the fireplace. To the right of his fireplace was a door. When I tried the knob, it was locked. I narrowed my eyes at it, debating if I wanted to freeze the knob and enter the room.

After realizing I would want my own privacy to be respected, I decided against it. I tried the next door I came across, and it opened into a closet. The thing was lined with various suits, dress shirts, and dress shoes. There was one corner full of jeans and dress pants. A shelf to the left of the door housed several pairs of glasses. I ran my fingers over their frames lightly, a small smile on my face. My favorite version of Nik was this one. My mind flashed back to the first day I’d walked into their shared living space — to him on the balcony, book in hand and a smirk on his face. He’d been so handsome, so relaxed.

So unlike the Nik that he’d been projecting around me since I asked him to mark me.

I dropped my hand to my side and swallowed. There were other important things to deal with today. Nik and his ever-shifting moods and modes were at the very bottom of my list. I made my way to the final door in the room and stepped out into the three Alpha Princes shared living space. It was empty, which was probably for the best. I could use a moment to collect my own thoughts before I was alone with them.

Though I wouldn’t do that here. I’d return to my own quarters and relive the moments of the last few months. Hell, the last twenty-four hours alone would be enough to keep me preoccupied for weeks. I moved through the halls of the castle quietly, careful not to draw any attention to myself. I’d never walked the halls so freely, and I knew it was quite a risk considering how fresh Alpha King Everett’s death was. Anyone I passed could stop me, could most likely kill me.

The worry didn’t matter, seeing as I didn’t pass a single soul on my way to my own quarters. I entered the room and sank back against the door as I shut it. Now that I was alone, I could let myself really feel the last day or so.

Alpha King Everett was dead. What the hell did that mean for all of us? What did it mean for me? He’d made some decisions before he died that I wasn’t sure we’d be able to contradict now. It had very obviously been his intention to have Darius be the one Alpha King with Elizabeth, his wife, ruling at his side. Could the Princes now go against that because they’d proven he had committed treason against his own crown?

Could they claim me fully as their mate and all take the throne? Would they? If they did, what would happen to Elizabeth? She’d dropped the bomb that she’s pregnant right at the end there. If what Darius had accused his father of was true, and it did seem likely, how could we tell if the pup she carried was Darius’s or his father’s? If it was Darius’s, did that make this child the heir to the throne?

The mess we’d all been sifting through before Darius had killed his father was now a steaming pile of crap. I’d used magick in front of the members of the court. I’d used it against the late Alpha King. That, coupled with everything else, could be enough to make it impossible for the Princes to be with me. Many people would most likely see me as the catalyst for Everett’s death, no matter how valid the accusations were that were made against him.

My chest heaved with panicked breaths as I realized that we’d most likely backed ourselves into a place where, even if they wanted to claim me, the princes couldn’t because their people would never accept me as their queen. What had we done? And we’d done it in the middle of a rebellion forming. How the hell were we going to fight that now?

I jumped when there was a knock on my door. My heart thudded painfully fast in my chest, and I turned and twisted the knob of the door. I yanked the door open, hoping to find Nik, or Phoenix, or Darius. Instead, I was greeted by the red-rimmed and swollen eyes of my lifelong best friend.

In the midst of all of my own problems, I’d completely forgotten about Lilith.